


What Lies Beneath

by eccentrix (orphan_account)



Series: Uchiha Worship [3]
Category: Naruto
Genre: 18+ ONLY, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-08
Updated: 2020-02-21
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:41:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21715504
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/eccentrix
Summary: Your husband and his family were wonderful people - at least that’s what you’ve always believed. Despite the poorly concealed skeletons tumbling from their oversized closet, you willingly remain ignorant to it all - until it gets shoved into your face, that is. Still, you stay by your husband’s side like the supportive wife that you are. Besides, what’s been done can’t be erased, only rectified.The ghosts of your own past make sure that you remember that.[Hiatus]
Relationships: Uchiha Itachi/Uchiha Izumi, Uchiha Shisui/Reader
Series: Uchiha Worship [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1641205
Comments: 8
Kudos: 49





	1. Chapter 1

You grimaced as crimson liquid splashed onto your clothing. Your nose wrinkled up in disgust as a fair amount splattered onto your face. The form you held in your strong arms went limp, and you let the body go immediately. It landed with a resounding thump next to a discarded kitchen knife. 

You gave the taller, dark haired male standing in front of you a look that said,  _ what-the-fuck?  _ He let out a laugh in response to your expression, his handsome visage lifting along with his high cheekbones.

“Sorry, (Name).”

“Jesus fuck, Obito. You couldn’t have just used a different method?” He flicked his switchblade and put it away. He took out a pistol and aimed it at the head of the bleeding man by your feet. 

_ Bang! Bang! Bang! _

“That’s enough!” You yelled, grabbing the weapon from his hand without caution. He loosened his fingers in order for you to grasp it a little more safely and gave you a mischievous grin. “You’re fucking ridiculous,” you chided him, flicking the safety back on the gun. “He would’ve died anyways, you know.” You tucked it back in his holster. 

Blood pooled at the base of your steel-toed boots and you shot Obito another look. “Way too excessive.” 

“Oh, please. Don’t play  _ innocent  _ with me, (Name). I know better than anyone that you’re just as ruthless as I am when you’re in a mood,” Obito teased, kneeling down by the body. “Besides, he put up a good fight, didn’t he?” He leaned over the motionless body, pressing two fingers to his carotid artery and looked down at his wristwatch. “He’s dead. Time of death is 1725 hours.” He stood back up and you took a small pad and pen from your front pocket, jotting it down. 

“‘Kay. I’m gonna punch you in the face, alright?” He rose his brow at you. 

“I mean, I understand why, but don’t hit too hard.” You smirked at him, tilting your head innocently. 

“Why? Scared?” 

His fingers wound around the corner of your bulletproof vest as he pulled you flush against him. Your faces were nearly touching. The smirk on your face was unaffected at his actions. You were used to his antics. 

“Be careful with how close you get to me, Obito,” you almost whispered. “I doubt my husband would be too happy if he saw you right now.” 

“Shisui can go to hell,” he practically glowered. “If you punch me too hard, I’ll make sure you regret it. Got that?” 

You cocked a brow and gently poked his nose. 

“You’re kinda cute when you threaten me, you know,” you teased, both of your hands going up to the fingers that had wrapped around your best and prying them off. “I think you just like getting in my face.” Obito rolled his eyes and let you go properly. 

“I think you like punching me in mine.” 

Your fist collided with his cheekbone. He let out an unwilling grunt as you made contact with his face. “How’s that?” You asked, knowing you’d held back. 

“Not bad,” he responded, massaging it lightly. “But I am a little sad I can’t threaten you again.” You let out a laugh and rolled your eyes. 

“Let’s just call Izuna and Madara to get this body removed. I wanna go shower,” you spoke, eyes wandering towards the coffee table in the middle of the room. “Should we break some shit and make it look like more of a struggle?” You asked, looking back towards your partner. 

“Nah,” Obito responded. “Let my dad handle that. I don’t wanna somehow fuck it up.” You bit at your lip. 

“Are you sure?” 

“Look, (Name), the guy was a goddamn serial rapist. It doesn’t fucking matter if we took him dead or alive. My dad’s not gonna give a shit whether or not we killed a guy like him. He’ll cover it up well enough to the point where the ANBU won’t question a thing.” 

You sighed. He had a point. You and Obito had done this more than once, and Madara and Izuna always made sure they made no mistakes in their cover-ups. Besides, it wasn’t like you two were the only pair that did things like this anyways. 

“You’re right. Let’s go then,” you continued, starting to walk towards the door of the house. Obito followed you and the two of you used to cover of night to return back to your vehicle. Once you’d made it back into the safety of your SUV, you sighed and reached for the makeup wipes you kept in the glovebox. Obito started the car and began driving, dialing his father’s number as he did so. 

_ “Are you finished?”  _ Madara answered. 

“Yup. But we didn’t arrest him.” 

_ “For fucks sake, son.”  _

Obito laughed. “Hey, you told me to use killing force when necessary.” 

_ “I doubt it was fucking necessary with this man. You’re a skilled fighter, what the fuck happened?” _

“Just go clean it up, dad. He has a violent past. Make some shit up.” 

_ “You and (Name) need new fucking partners. You can’t be trusted together,”  _ Madara grumbled. 

“What’re you talking about? She doesn’t like rapists and I don’t like people. We work great together!” You heard Madara sigh on the other line and laughed. 

“He truly did fight us. He tried to stab me with a butcher knife and I had to disarm him.” You could practically envision Madara’s deadpan expression. 

_ “Fine. I’ll take Izuna out there and get it settled.”  _

“I’ve got a bruise forming on the right side of my face.” 

_ “We’ll recon before I write the report. Go to HQ and get cleaned up,”  _ Madara ordered. “ _ Have Mikoto wash your uniforms promptly.”  _

“Got it. See ya, daddy-o.” Obito hung up the phone and pressed his foot down on the pedal to drive faster. He glanced over at you as you wiped the blood off of your face. 

“Absolutely disgusting,” you murmured to yourself. Obito didn’t respond, and instead turned up the music of the radio. The two of you rode back to headquarters in silence. 

Obito pulled into the back of the large building, completely ignoring the texting drivers and speeding cars on the way there. You didn’t protest, seeing as neither of you were really in the proper attire to write a ticket considering the fact that you were both covered in a fair amount of blood. Nevertheless, when he parked the car, he was the first to get out seeing as you were still fussing over your face and neck. 

He opened your door, prompting you to  _ get the fuck out _ and  _ hurry the fuck up.  _ You rolled your eyes at his lack of tact before stuffing the used wipes in your pocket and following him inside through the back door. 

The first person you caught sight of had long, brown hair pulled back into a high ponytail. She was wearing a long, form fitting black dress that bunched around her sides, stretching around her protruding tummy. She smiled as she saw you enter. “Welcome ba- oh god, don’t come in here with those shoes on! I just mopped!”

You and Obito stopped mid-step, looking to one another and then shrugging simultaneously. You both removed your boots and set them on the corner of the black rug that had been placed in front of the automatic sliding doors. 

“Thanks,” the woman continued, her dazzling smile replacing the former nervous expression on her face. “How was your mission, (Nickname)?” She walked over to you with a bottle of hand sanitizer, squirting some of it in your cupped hands. 

“It went wonderfully, Zuzu,” you started. You lowered your voice. “I even got to punch Obito in the face again.” She snickered as the older male held out his hands for some sanitizer as well. 

“Wait right here,” she instructed. “I’ve got some shoes for the two of you.” 

She returned to her desk and searched behind it until she found two pairs of fluffy slippers. One was pink, and one was black. She placed the black pair in front of you and the pink in front of Obito. He made a face. 

“Why do you hate me, Izumi?”

Izumi snickered again. 

“I don’t hate you! It’s just so fun to bother you.” He crossed his arms over his chest as you slipped into your own pair. 

“We’re gonna head to the showers.” You wrinkled your nose again when you took another whiff of your own scent. 

“Sure thing. I’ll have Mikoto get your clothing. Just put them in the bags and set them outside the door.” 

“Thanks Zuzu,” you returned. You and Obito started shuffling towards the hallway until she called your name. “Yeah?” 

“Shisui wants to see you when you’re finished.” You felt your heart flutter. 

“Okay, thanks for letting me know.” 

**~~~~~**

You and Obito showered quickly. You were fast due to the fact that there was only a thin wall between the two of your naked forms and didn’t want to chance him seeing you, and he was fast because - well, he had shit to do and he was already way behind on paperwork. 

Two clean, ironed uniforms were waiting for the two of you when you got out, and you dressed quickly, before Obito had finished. You called out to him that you’d catch up with him later and scurried off to see your husband in his office. 

You had to go up two flights of stairs - you preferred it to the elevator - and down a long, poorly lit hallway. 

Itachi really needed to get more lights installed on this floor. It felt like you were walking through a goddamn morgue. 

You didn’t bother to knock when you reached the wooden door at the very end of the hall. You turned the knob and grinned widely when you were greeted by the wonderful sight of your husband in his reading glasses, straining his eyes to see the text on his desktop computer. 

God  _ damn  _ did he look good in glasses. 

He looked up at the sound, and gave you a smile with beauty that nobody could possibly even think to rival. “Hey love,” he greeted. “How was your mission?” He went to stand but you waved him down. He sat, but swiveled his chair so that when you went around his desk, you could plant those beautiful lips on his own. 

And you did. With soft, gentle hands placed around either side of his face, you moved your lips slowly against his own. Your heart thumped against your chest. 

It had been years and he was still able to turn your insides into a mess. 

“It was alright,” you spoke, brushing your thumb against his face affectionately. You moved away from him to sit on the other side of his desk. “Obito got carried away again.” He clicked his tongue and shook his head. 

“Ah, well… I’m sure you didn’t encourage him  _ at all,  _ did you love?” You could tell by the smirk playing across his lips that he knew you did. 

“Well, he tried to stab me so I disarmed him and put him in a hold. I thought Obito was just gonna rough him up a bit, but he ended up stabbing him. I didn’t even know he had a switchblade on him,” you explained, running a hand through your damp locks. 

“It can’t be helped,” Shisui started, taking off his glasses. “He’s got the temper of a hormonal twelve year old boy.” You snickered and he smiled at the sound of your laugh. “Anyways, I’m heading home early tonight since my birthday is tomorrow. I was wondering if you wanted to come home with me or just have Obito or someone else drop you off at the end of your shift.” 

“Oh, no. I am two-hundred and fifty percent going home with you,” you asserted. “I don’t think I would be able to stay sane knowing you’re not here.” He chuckled at your enthusiasm and nodded, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms over his chest. 

“Alright babe. Also, there’s one more thing. Itachi and I are pretty much finished with this quarters paperwork. We’ll be able to get back on the field by next week, so if you need a partner swap I can work something out.” 

You contemplated this for a moment before shaking your head. “As annoying as he can be, Obito and I work well together. I just think we’ll be investigated if we keep getting these missions for outstanding warrants and they somehow end up dead every now and then.” 

“Luckily it doesn’t happen too often,” Shisui responded, though his brows were furrowed with concern. “Madara does a good job of covering up. It’ll be okay for now, but I’ll have a talk with Obito.” You gave him a nod and a smile. 

“Thanks, Shisui. When are you going home?” You asked, placing your head in your palm. 

“Within the hour. Go ahead and change into something more comfortable. Sasuke bought some sushi. It’s in the kitchen if you’re hungry.” He reached out for your hand and took into his own, bringing it to his lips a second later. He smiled. “I love you.” 

“I love you too, dear,” you responded, your heart practically melting. 

“I’m going to go tell Itachi you’re coming with me, okay? Go change and eat a bit and then we’ll head on home.” 

You nodded, standing and leaning over his desk to kiss him again. He pressed a kiss on your cheek after the exchange and you left his office without another word. 

Mikoto gave you a smile as you passed her. “How are you, (Name)?” 

“I’m doing well. How about yourself?” 

She fell into step with you and you eyed the laundry basket she was holding. “I’m doing well myself! Fugaku just bought a yacht this morning and we’re going to take it out for the weekend. I can’t wait to go on it!” 

“Wow, that’s great! You both deserve it. I hope you’re able to relax. The two of you do so much for us here.” She placed a gentle hand on your shoulder. 

“Of course. Family comes before fun.” 

“I’ve always admired that about you,” you admitted, gazing at the gracefully aged woman. 

“Thank you. Now that Izumi and Itachi are expecting, it’s given me a new outlook on things,” she explained with a wistful smile. She looked back to you. “Now when are you and Shisui planning on having kids? You were supposed to be first!” She teased, causing your face to flush. 

“A-ah, we’re not quite ready yet.”

“Have you at least talked about it?” 

Oh, this was  _ so  _ not the conversation you wanted to be having with your husband’s aunt. You knew she was just excited though, and wanted more children in the family. 

“A little!” 

No, no you hadn’t. 

“That’s good. Get on it! Kagami isn’t getting any younger, and he’s always talking about grandchildren!” 

Oh lord. You weren’t sure if your face could get any more red. 

“(Nickname)!” 

Oh, thank God for Izumi. 

“Yeah, Zuzu?” 

“Sasuke has sushi rolls in the kitchen!” You watched her walk up to you and Mikoto. “Come eat with me!” 

You smiled at both women as Mikoto excused herself. “I’m totally down to eat.” 

“Sasuke told me I can only have some of the fried rolls, but little does he know… I’m going to eat  _ all  _ of the fried rolls!” She exclaimed with a mischievous snicker. You laughed along with her. 

“I’m gonna change first, is that okay with you?”

“Oh, you’re going home with Shisui?” 

“Yeah,” you confirmed. “I need to wind down a bit after today’s mission. Some time with him will help a lot.” She hummed her agreement. 

“I’ll walk with you. Lord knows I need the exercise. All I do when I’m home is stay in bed.” 

“You’re supposed to relax when you’re pregnant,” you refuted. “You can’t go all day being stressed out. It wouldn’t be good for you or Itachi junior,” you continued. 

“You’re right, but still! I get bored sometimes.” 

“Just call me and I’ll come over,” you said with a shrug. “We could go shopping or something.” 

She smiled. “That sounds like fun.”   
  
“Yeah. When I’m not here, I’m not doing much unless I’m with Shisui, so I’m open to hanging out whenever. We don’t have to wait ‘til our Friday hangouts, you know.”    
  
“I’m gonna take you up on that, I hope you realize!” She said with a tinkling laugh.    
  
“Good!”    
  
You and Izumi walked down the hallway and into the laundry room where you grabbed some casual clothes and slipped them on while she waited. After that, you both made your way - slowly - down to the elevator and to the kitchen where Sasuke’s sushi rolls waited. 

  
  
**_~~~~~_ **

  
  
Shisui’s fingers massaged your scalp as you lay in his lap, covered by a heavy blanket. Your eyes were trained on the television in front of you, and you were holding his free hand. He was also watching the show on the screen, but his eyes would flicker down to your face and back every now and then.    
  
Watching your eyes slowly close in relaxation as you succumbed to sleep was the most endearing thing he’d seen in a while. You’d been pretty stressed out lately - Obito typically had that effect on people - and while he was concerned for you, he knew that there was nobody better suited to be your partner.    
  
The only person that could be synchronized with you better than him was Shisui himself, and that wouldn’t work. You’d likely try to sleep with him in the squad car, and he’d probably do it and royally piss Itachi off. He really didn’t like pissing off his cousin, regardless of the fact that they were co-captains of the Police Force right now and neither one held authority over the other. It was frustrating at times, but it worked. Once Fugaku handed the force over to Shisui a couple of years ago, Shisui had felt it right to promote Itachi to his level once he got married himself.    
  
Fugaku came back in to help with paperwork, but he’d completely retired from the field. Shisui didn’t blame him. It was tough work, and the field did harden you to the outside world. When Fugaku had retired, he told Shisui that he was “fucking done” and just wanted to live out the rest of his years quietly with his wife.    
  
After only five years of being in charge and six being married to you, he could echo that sentiment. It was seriously aging him in a way that he wasn’t sure would be beneficial in the long run.    
  
As he let his fingers trace the contours of your face, he let his mind wander to thoughts of your future together. With Izumi showing more than ever, it did make him think about children with you. But it wouldn’t be feasible right now, you were much too absorbed in the field work, and he was just way too stressed out as it was. He loved you dearly and wanted to have children with you one day, but truly, he didn’t know if it would ever happen.    
  
He would be okay with that, though. No matter what happened, if he got to spend his life with you, everything would be fine.    
  
He traced the small scar that had been left on your right cheek, eyes placed diligently onto it.    
  
He desperately hoped everything would be fine. Things had gone well up until now, and hopefully the good luck would last.    
  
He placed a gentle kiss on the knuckles of your hand that was entwined with his own, finally leaning his head back and closing his own eyes to join you in sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

_ “Obito.”  _

_ The short haired male looked up from the stack of paperwork on top of his desk. He let out an annoyed grunt when his eyes connected with his younger cousin’s. “What do you want, Shisui?”  _

_ He had no visible reaction to Obito’s disrespect. “You need to be more careful.”  _

_ “Would you rather me have let him fight your wife?” Obito asked, setting his pen down and giving Shisui a scowl that rivaled the displeasure on the younger males face.  _

_ “Of course not. But your knee-jerk, angry reactions are what will get the two of you indicted if you continue to do this. This is the fourth person that the two of you have killed this quarter.”  _

_ Obito let out a low growl of displeasure and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I was protecting her from further harm.”  _

_ “Yeah. I’m glad you care for her so much cousin, but there are other ways of showing that.” Shisui crossed his arms over his chest and leaned on the doorframe. “If you really want to keep her safe, you’ve got to get your behavior in check.” Obito covered his mouth with a fist as he retreated into his thoughts.  _

_ Shisui sighed and bit at his cheek before starting to speak once again. “I don’t want either of you getting caught.”  _

_ “I get it. I’ll be more careful.”  _

_ Shisui’s brows rose. He had expected Obito to put up more of a fight, argue that he wasn’t putting either of you at risk, or start an argument completely unrelated to the topic at hand. It surprised him that he relented so quickly, and as the two men continued their eye contact, Shisui shrugged.  _

_ “Alright. That’s all I had to say. Thanks for being understanding.” Shisui walked over to his desk, outstretching his hand to shake Obito’s. The older man eyed it for a moment without taking it, but once he saw Shisui go to retract it, he took it firmly. “I’m trusting you, Obito.”  _

_ “Yeah. I know that.” They shook hands and Shisui took a step back afterwards. Obito picked up his ink pen again before looking down at the papers lining his desk. “You really need to chill the hell out.”  _

_ “As long as you stop giving me reasons to freak out, I’ll be fine.” Shisui started backing towards the door. “I’m gonna be asking for recaps before you go to Madara from here on out. Just to monitor you, and ensure you keep your word.”  _

_ Obito scoffed, not raising his gaze. “Whatever helps you sleep at night. I won’t let anything happen to her, be it an arrest or an injury.”  _

_ Shisui’s receptive eyes continued to roam over Obito’s tense form and he finally closed his eyes and sighed. It wasn’t conventional, and he felt slightly guilty for appealing to Obito’s apparent weakness for you, but there was no other way. He was reckless, and his carelessness would surely get the two of you investigated. So if he had to slightly manipulate his older cousin to get him to comply with policy, then he would.  _

_ “I hope you’re being genuine.”  _

_ Obito looked up at him, and he could read the displeasure in his expression. “This conversation is over, right? So get the hell out of my office.”  _

_ Under normal circumstances, Shisui would’ve laughed at his aggressively dismissive behavior. But since it wasn’t, he just gave Obito one last nervous look before finally turning and completely exiting the office.  _

**_~~~~~_ **

You took a deep breath in and the cool air soothed your warmed lungs. Your legs were beginning to feel weak and your arms were pumping hastily as you sprinted down the long dark hallway. The clank of your various weapons and trinkets were the only sounds that echoed throughout the empty space, as your footsteps were too light and quick to make any substantial noise. You made an abrupt left, following the silhouette moving at a faster pace than you - though it was only a few steps ahead - as both of your forms quietly sprinted through the cold underground bunker. 

“He better still be here,” the shadow in front of you grumbled, loud enough for you to hear but quiet enough to avoid an echo. 

“Our tip came only fifteen minutes ago. There’s no way he could’ve made his way through this giant maze in time to escape us,” you voiced back through an occasional deep exhale. The owner of the masculine voice made another left, and you followed his lead, only a fraction of a second behind him now. 

One of the doors at the far end of the walkway was wide open. You could tell by the way Obito picked up his pace that the door was exactly where he was heading. You chased after your partner, heart beating wildly in your chest from adrenaline and the strain of running that fast for so long. You skidded to a stop after him, drawing your gun shortly after he had. 

“Freeze, motherfucker! Your dumb ass is under arrest!” 

Your lips almost quirked into a smile, but the situation called for you to be serious, so you refrained. 

Obito’s arm automatically flew out to stop you from walking in any further. From the angle you were at, you couldn’t see much. You tried to shift to see something,  _ anything,  _ but it was futile. 

“I’ve been waiting for a while. Who thought the Uchiha Police Force could be so slow, hn?” 

Your eyes narrowed. What an arrogant bastard.

“Just put your hands up, you piece of shit.” Apparently, he complied as Obito cautiously lowered his makeshift barrier that was keeping you from entering. You slowly stalked forward, coming upon the sight of a thin male with long, blonde hair pulled up into a half ponytail. 

Yeah. This was him. The well known terrorist, the All Seeing Eye - lesser known as Deidara. He looked exactly as smug as he did in his mugshot. 

His eyes traveled towards you as he held his hands up. They slightly narrowed. “You don’t look like an Uchiha.” 

“Believe me,” Obito started, stalking towards the blonde with his weapon drawn. “She is.” Your restraint broke and you allowed your lips to settle in a smirk. 

To your astonishment, the blonde man mirrored your expression as you moved towards him, your own gun drawn. “Married in?” He asked, is if the three of you were having casual conversation. 

“Dude, shut the fuck up. You’re being arrested, not taken out for coffee.” Deidara snorted as the two of you came to a stop on either side of him. “Check that computer, (Name).” 

“Ooh, I probably wouldn’t touch that if I were you.” 

Just as he started his sentence, your finger pressed one of the keys. You furrowed your brows. 

“Why?” 

**_“COUNTDOWN ACTIVATED: DETONATION IN 60 SECONDS.”_ **

“Oh fuck.” 

“Well,” Deidara spoke as he nonchalantly stood, walking over to the computer. Obito kept his weapon aimed at him. “There’s no way to deactivate this. So we either get out of here in the next 57 seconds, or we die. I’m cool with either one, to be honest.” He ended his sentence with a grunt. 

You didn’t have much time to think. You cuffed the blonde male hastily - something he hadn’t expected - and shoved him towards the door. “Start fucking running,” you demanded. The blonde immediately took off into a sprint, and Obito hung back for a second. 

“I’m gonna take some pictures and shit,” he said, avoiding eye contact. “You should go. I’ll find my way out.” 

Your eyes shifted towards the suspect, and you bit your lip as he started to get further away from you. Every fucking bone in your body was telling you not to leave Obito, but Deidara had already taken off, and you didn’t necessarily want to be blown up, either. 

“ **_DETONATION IN 50 SECONDS.”_ **

“Go, (Name)!” He urged, starting to snap pictures of the scene on his camera. “Now!” 

“Please hurry, Obito,” you pleaded before sprinting off after the blonde man. 

Your heart beat savagely against your chest. You felt breathless as you ran. It didn’t take long for you to catch up to him. He was panting heavily, clearly not used to this type of exercise. You shifted behind him, pushing him on faster than before. “We’ll never get out of here if you run that fucking slow,” you growled as he struggled to speed up. He led you down a few more turns and finally, you came across the tall staircase that you and Obito had gone down to get here in the first place. You gave him one last push, and as he tried to run up the stairs, he let out a sharp gasp and tumbled down the steps. You managed to jump in time to avoid his form crashing into your own, but you cursed when you realized you were wasting precious time. 

Your mind traveled back to Obito. Hopefully, he would be okay...

You ran back down the stairs, pretty much saying  _ fuck protocol  _ as you picked up Deidara’s body in your arms and rushing back up the stairs, slower than before.

“Oi! Put me down!” 

“No. Judging by the way you fell, you injured your ankle and it’ll only take longer to get out of here.” As you went through the door that you and Obito had lock-picked earlier, you trudged through the abandoned house that had been the cover up for the bunker and hurried for the front door. 

“Hate to say it, but we have five seconds.” 

Fuck! Where was Obito?! You couldn’t make it to the front door in time! Were you going to die here?!

You’d never feared for your life like this before. It was causing you to tremble in desperation. Shisui’s handsome face materialized in your mind and you felt tears begin to prick at your eyes. This was so unfair. You hadn’t even really gotten to the peak of your career yet, or experienced what it was like to have a family of your own, or met Izumi’s child… 

Everything you’d ever dreamed of flashed before your eyes and you felt you were frozen stupid. 

“(Name)!  _ Get down  _ **_now_ ** _! _ ” 

Your tears fell freely at the sound of Obito’s panicked voice, breaking you out of your trance. You didn’t hesitate to act though, and tossed the body of the suspect to the ground and climbed on top of him to shield him from the blow. It was as if your body was moving in autopilot. You didn’t mean to protect him - didn’t even want to - it just happened. 

As Obito lurched his body over your own, screaming that you were a  _ fucking idiot  _ before he shifted himself properly over your elevated body. You didn’t have time to respond to him. He could feel the tremors of your body that came from your sobs, and he held you tighter. 

Time seemed to slow as you heard the first of the explosions. Obito’s right arm wrapped tightly around your eyes, ignoring the stream of tears that was coming from them. He grit his teeth as the next explosion came, closer than the last. 

Another. Then another. 

A scream was ripped from your throat, but you you couldn’t hear it. All you could hear was the ringing. You wondered if this is what melting would feel like. The intense heat and pain brought more tears to your eyes and you continued to scream. You could feel Obito’s heavy breathing as he lay on top of you. Your mind went blank to everything but the pain as the explosion completely engulfed you. Your throat went raw. 

Abruptly and completely unexpectedly, everything went black. 

**_~~~~~_ **

Your consciousness swam in and out for the next few days. Once, you came to in the midst of an argument between Itachi and Shisui. It was interesting to witness, seeing as you had never heard them fight before. You didn’t have the ability to completely understand what they were saying. The ringing continued, effectively robbing you of most of the hearing you had before. You quickly fell back under.

The next time you woke up, Izumi was running her fingers through your hair. You had been able to make a noise with your throat once you had focused enough, and she looked down at you with tears in her eyes. She gave you the most beautiful smile she’d ever directed at you before her tears fell down onto your cheeks. You reached for her hand and entwined your fingers with hers. She was talking, and you could hear her voice, but you couldn’t - for the life of you - you couldn’t decipher what she was saying. You fell unconscious again. 

The third time you woke up, it was because you heard Obito’s voice. His callous manner of speaking brought you out of the limbo, sleep-like state you were in and he rushed to your side as he saw your eyes open. He hung up on the person he’d been talking to immediately. 

“(Name)!” He called. 

You could hear him almost perfectly, but the ringing still plagued your hearing. It wasn’t even a fraction as loud as it had been before. 

Your eyes found his face and you couldn’t help but to gasp in horror. His entire left face was covered in bandages, as well as his entire torso. He was shirtless as he leaned over you, searching you desperately, wordlessly begging you to talk. 

Your fingers reached up and brushed against the light colored gauze. He winced at the feather light contact. “Is this because of me?” Your voice came out hoarsely, both from lack of use and the effects of the explosion. 

Obito didn’t move to take your hand from his face. You didn’t retract it. “No. It’s because of that goddamn terrorist.” You went to respond, but the door to the medical unit opened. 

Shisui walked through, and he slightly stumbled upon seeing your hand on Obito in such an intimate fashion. You let it fall to your side. “I-I thought I heard your voice over the security monitors,” he started. 

Upon seeing the face of your husband, tears made their way down your cheeks. He quickly approached you and Obito took a few steps back to allow him access. Shisui peppered kisses all over your face. “I was so fucking scared,” you whispered. “I was so scared that I was gonna die and leave you behind.” 

“You’re here, baby. You’re here.” He was careful with where he placed his hands, and it was only then that you noticed your left thigh and abdomen were also covered in bandages. He separated from you and cleared his throat. “He wasn’t able to save you from the entire blow since you shielded the suspect.” You wove your fingers into Shisui’s own and looked to Obito. 

“Thank you, Obito. Seriously, thank you for helping me.” Obito shrugged, as if using himself as a human shield wasn’t a big deal. 

“I figured  _ you _ would’ve died if you took the entirety of the damage.” Shisui watched your facial expressions closely, and he frowned when your eyes welled up with tears once again. 

“Obito,” you started, sniffing. “I’m so sorry.” 

“Don’t apologize.” He started stepping towards the door, intending on giving you and Shisui some privacy. “I didn’t die, so it doesn’t matter.” He finally opened the door. “I’ll catch up with you later.” 

You weren’t given any time to respond to him before he left the room. Shisui leaned against the bed you were resting in and gave you a small smile. You let out a heavy breath and closed your eyes. 

“How long was I out for?” 

“A couple of days. I was really worried, love. You wouldn’t wake for anything, but you weren’t technically comatose. It was the weirdest thing.” He reached for you and cupped your face in his hand, stroking your cheek fondly. You looked up into the chocolate colored eyes of your husband and a gentle smile claimed your lips. “I’m guessing your body just needed a rest after undergoing such extensive trauma.” He continued to look down on you, eyes filled with admiration. “I’m sorry, (Name). I knew that this particular suspect was incredibly dangerous, but I still assigned him to you. I should’ve thought it through.” 

“No,” you protested, going to sit up. You were both relieved and unsettled to find that you could do so without much pain. You figured the nerves had been burnt to hell. “It just means that you believe in me. And I’m glad that you do, Shisui. Please continue to send me on complicated missions. You know how much I love it.” Shisui got off of the bed and went to help you to a stand. You thanked him, placing a kiss on his cheek as your bare feet met the cold tile of the Uchiha infirmary room. 

You took out the needle that had been placed in your arm for fluids, removed the other monitoring wires, and then moved towards the closet door, knowing that spare clothes were always kept there for field agents. Shisui watched you intently, ready to pounce if you wavered in any way. “(Name), let me help you,” he offered, approaching you to assist you in removing the hospital gown. 

You allowed him to untie it, removing your arms from the holes and letting it fall to the floor. You caught the sight of a few more bandages and sighed. You wouldn’t be able to get used to that sight. Hopefully they’d be gone soon and the scarring wouldn’t be too bad. 

You felt Shisui’s nimble fingers ghost down your neck and his lips were soon to follow. A shiver racked your body at his gentle touches and he reached passed you to grab your spare clothes. He helped you put them on, took your hand, and led you from the infirmary. 

The gentleness in your eyes as you caressed Obito earlier plagued his thoughts as he walked with you down the empty basement. Never had he seen you look at him that way, or even touch him more than what was required of you. The fleeting thought that you were just vulnerable and grateful to him after he saved your life set him at ease. 

He was equally as grateful. Obito had kept his word to him and protected you. While he hadn’t completely protected you from harm, to do so entirely in the field you were in was impossible. It only solidified his decision to keep you at Obito’s side, though his insecurities ached at him a bit. The knowledge that you had never strayed from him kept him grounded though, and you hadn’t shown any indications that you ever would. 

“Shisui, how long will I be taken off the field?” You asked, knowing your husband wouldn’t allow you back on the job so soon after a near death experience. 

The two of you waited for the elevator to go above ground once again, and he held it so you could step off once it opened. “I’m thinking 5 days. Does that sound okay to you?” You nodded and reached for his hand again, immediately missing the physical contact. 

Now on the ground floor, a couple pairs of eyes shot over to you and Shisui. 

Izumi gasped and shuffled over to you as fast as she could. You held back a giggle at the sight, but walked towards her as well, letting your fingers fall from Shisui’s grasp. 

“I won’t hug you,” she started, her eyes welling up with tears. “I don’t want to hurt you. But holy  _ shit  _ am I so glad you’re back! I was so worried! I couldn’t stop crying!” You chuckled and poked her forehead. 

“It’s true.” You looked towards the speaker, eyes widening when you realized that it was Madara. Had he come back to headquarters because of you and Obito too? 

“I’m glad to see you walking,” Itachi spoke, approaching you and giving you a kind smile. “How do you feel?” 

“Like shit,” you answered truthfully. “But it’s alright. I’m just glad to be here.” Shisui wound his arm around your shoulders, careful not to touch any of your injuries. 

“And for that, we all need to thank Obito.” 

The conversation continued, slowly but surely morphing into a more casual, less tense topic as it went on. You learned that Izumi hardly ever left your side, Sasuke checked on you at least twice a day, and Itachi kept coming by too. It surprised you to know that Shisui had actually kept his distance from you, but it didn’t bother you much. You knew he threw himself into his work more than usual when he was upset. Although it did unsettle you a bit to know that even Madara had gone to see you at least two more times than Shisui did. 

Shisui told the others that he was going to take you home, and after a few more minutes of conversation, you both left. Shisui was ever the gentlemen, holding open your doors, giving you his jacket, and even holding your hand the entire time. He always was this way - so polite and kind. It was something you loved about him. 

“I’m sorry for not going to see you more,” Shisui sighed about halfway through the car ride. “It just really upset me. I hated you see you like that and not be able to do anything about it.” 

“It’s okay babe,” you reassured, running your thumb over his knuckles. “I understand.” You allowed a few more seconds to pass before asking him something that had been on your mind since you’d woken up. “What happened to the suspect?” 

Shisui’s eyes flickered over to you. Even when you were injured, you couldn’t go for even a moment without thinking about work. A smile took his features as he softly shook his head. It was just like you to be that way. 

“He was apprehended by Obito. He managed to carry both you and the suspect out and into the squad car through the rubble of the destroyed house.” He opened his mouth to say more, but quickly closed it, thinking better of divulging that information to you. 

Luckily, your eyes were closed and your head tilted backs so you didn’t know he’d gone to say something else. 

You hummed in acknowledgement. “That’s good. He can be amazing sometimes…” you took a breath. “He’s an  _ asshole _ .” 

Shisui chuckled lowly and brought your hand to his lips. “He is both of those things.” 

You giggled in response to your husband’s statement, and tuned in to the soft music in the background. And before you knew it, you’d dozed off. 

**_~~~~~~_ **

_ “Shisui,” Madara greeted as the younger Uchiha joined him at the front of one of the jail cells.  _

_ “Hey, Madara. Itachi’s on his way down,” Shisui responded, running a hand through his wispy strands.  _

_ “Good.” Madara crossed his arms over his chest as he peered through the bars, staring down their blonde captive. “He won’t shut up.”  _

_ Shisui scowled, and he observed the man sitting on the makeshift bed they’d made up for him.  _

_ This was the man responsible for your injuries. This was the man responsible for hurting his cousin. This small, thin man.  _

_ This man who was smirking right at him, almost in a mocking manner.  _

_ The door creaked, signaling that Itachi had come to join them. Sure enough, his younger cousin came to his side, dressed in a casual black hoodie and some blue jeans. “So he’s been saying some concerning things?” Itachi started, getting right down to business.  _

_ “Yeah,” Madara returned with a grunt afterwards. “Go on,” he started, addressing Deidara with a threatening tone. “Tell them what you said.”  _

_ “Tch, you don’t listen do you?”  _

_ “Just say it, you damn brat.”  _

_ “The Ice Queen will return to her throne.”  _

_ Shisui’s blood ran cold. His hands jerked to reach around two of the bars.  _

_ “What the fuck did you just say?”  _

_ “None of you listen, hm. The Ice Queen will return to her throne. Whether she wants to or not.”  _

_ Itachi watched as his cousins form began to shake with rage.  _

_ “Like fucking hell she will.”  _

_ “Just wait, un. You’ll see. People will keep coming after her until she does. Or until she’s dead. Whatever comes first, yeah?”  _

_ “How he even knows who she is… that’s beyond me,” Madara grumbled, facing away from the blonde. “We may need to increase security on our files. Or,” his eyes flickered towards both of the boys. “We could resort to some older methods and figure out exactly how he knows.”  _

_ Itachi watched as Shisui took a deep, calming breath. He didn’t go to speak until his older cousin did.  _

_ “No,” Shisui asserted. “We don’t do that shit anymore. We’ll just assume there was a breach in our systems and maximize security online and in real life.” Shisui gripped the bars tighter.  _

_ Itachi knew his cousin was seething.  _

_ “I agree,” Itachi spoke, turning away from the scene. “Glad to see you’re staying consistent with your morals, cousin.”  _

_ Shisui’s brows furrowed and he turned his attention to the long haired male that had started to walk off. “You know, you need to get that chip off your shoulder, Itachi.”  _

_ Itachi stopped walking, took a deep breath himself, and nodded. “You’re right.”  _

_ He continued to exit the room, leaving Madara and Shisui completely alone with the suspect.  _

_ Their many questions went unanswered, and Shisui retired to his office for the night without going to check on you for the second night in a row. He ran his hands through his hair and sighed, placing his elbows on his desk.  _

_ “Obito protected you,” he murmured to himself. “So now it's my turn.” He lifted his gaze towards the picture frame of you and him on your wedding day.  _

_ “I won’t fail. I promise.”  _


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If the beginning of this chapter seems familiar it's because I already wrote it lol. Just using it in a different way!
> 
> Enjoy~

You adjusted the thin strap of your dark green dress with a small pout. You really hadn’t wanted to wear this, but Izumi insisted you do so. She told you that if you did, it would surely make an impact on the success of your husbands networking tonight. You’d come all the way from Konoha to Amegakure for this charity gala. It was to give the police force a good image. 

It had been a couple of weeks since the accident. You were feeling wonderful all things considered, but you still hadn’t seen Obito since then. Shisui had changed his mind about taking you off the field for only five days and made it five  _ weeks,  _ so you’d been doing secretary work with Izumi _.  _ You still didn’t have feeling on that side of your abdomen and it had started to scar. It was pretty grotesque, in your opinion. Shisui had insisted that you were still beautiful regardless of any scarring. 

You frowned. The side of your body that  _ did  _ have feeling was cold. Way too cold. 

This was why you hated Amegakure. 

The organization rented out a venue you’d used to frequent. There were easily three hundred people in attendance. Parties like this had been something you had been used to once upon a time, but not anymore. It had been giving you anxiety all night. Not to mention the fact that your dress was significantly more low-cut than the other women you’d observed. It stopped just above the start of your scarring. 

This setting on top of everything else brought back bad, bad memories. 

You sighed, adjusted your hair, and straightened the necklace your father-in-law had given you earlier. Your eyes shifted towards the door as a beautiful brown haired woman in a purple dress walked in. She smiled at you and you returned the favor. Your attention snapped back to your reflection, and with another sigh, you pushed yourself off of the countertop and made your way out of the restroom. 

You immediately fixed your deflated looking posture as you emerged, and you felt eyes immediately flicker over to you. A third sigh nearly escaped your lips, but you stifled it and exhaled through your nose instead.

Really, as much as you loved travel and thought Amegakure was beautiful - you’d been here many times - you’d much rather be home right now. But, in a twisted sense, you felt that this was home in a way - is you looked past the disgustingly sick feeling it gave you of course. 

You used to live here, after all. 

You exchanged pleasantries with a number of people before taking a mixed beverage that’d been offered to you in the midst of conversation. You’d started to sip on it before you felt a hand gently slip itself onto your shoulder. Used to this type of contact, you turned half of your body to face the person who’d tried to get your attention. 

“Hey love,” you greeted. “What’s up?” Shisui gave you a grin. 

“I’ve been looking for you for half an hour. Come with me.” Your husband eyed the man you’d been talking to, and gave you a subtle look of interest. You couldn’t help but to snicker a bit. 

“Of course.” You thanked the man that had ordered you the drink - though it was an open bar and cost him nothing - and took it along with you as you followed you husband through the room, dodging extravagant decorations and people dressed almost as beautifully as the decor. 

“Need a breather,” he informed you, “I figured you did too considering the look on your face.” He patted your hand that was curled around his bicep. 

“I’m alright.” He shot you a nervous look. 

“You sure?”

“Never been sure-er,” you joked with a smile. 

He smiled back at you, relenting. “Alright.” 

You stepped out into the courtyard. 

“You remember this place, don’t you?” Shisui asked you, giving you a worried glance and pulling you closer to him. 

“I do,” you affirmed. 

The position of the moon had you wondering how much time had truly passed since. You took a split second to marvel at the stars before joining Shisui on the far side of the stone fountain. A brisk breeze tousled your hair, and you watched Shisui shift in his seat before removing his jacket. “Are you alright?” He asked again, a thoughtful frown on his lips. 

You looked over the railing in the distance, allowing the feel of the cold weather to wash over you. Shisui slid his suit jacket over your shoulders. “I’m fine,” you insisted, “I’m just taking it all in.” 

Shisui wrapped his arm around your waist and pulled you closer to him. The sound of the rushing water from the fountain was all you could hear. Your eyes roamed over the glittering city lights and rolling dark clouds that parted to allow stars through. 

“I realized that you were the one right here.” 

He pressed his lips to your temple. “Seems like a good memory. Not one you should linger on too long though, my love.” 

“Why? Cause you were bleeding or because I started crying?” 

Shisui chuckled softly and squeezed you a bit tighter. 

“Nope, neither of those reasons. I just don't want you getting stuck back there, is all.” 

The smile slid off of your face. 

It was too late for that. 

**_~~~~~~_ **

_ “You didn’t have to do that for me, Nara. Pein was going to be angry either way.”  _

_ You ripped off a large chunk of cloth from the bottom of your dress and dabbed at the cut above his eye. His good-natured smile was still plastered on his face despite the occasional wince.  _

_ “It’s alright. I don’t mind taking the heat for you.”  _

_ You pursed your lips and continued to wipe the blood from his brow. “I was the one who lost the paperwork. You shouldn’t have said that you misplaced it.” You sighed. “He’s going to take this to my father, Nara.”  _

_ Shisui shook his head. “It’s better that I receive any consequences in your place.” Shisui’s smile faded. “I didn’t want to think about what would happen if you told him it was you. Does your father know about his disciplinary methods?” His eyes fell to the freshly taped gauze on your cheek. It was already beginning to stain pink.  _

_ Unfortunately, in your line of work, no one questioned why you might have an injury like that and since he was currently there as an undercover cop, he couldn’t do much when Pein had drug his pocket knife through your flesh beyond verbal protests and, well, doing exactly what he had just done.  _

_ You winced so slightly that he’d hardly caught sight of it. “No, he doesn’t.” You tried to ignore the taste of blood. “My father has 2 months left to live at most. I don’t want him worrying about trivial things such as that.” You took your free hand and adjusted the sleeve of your dress a little lower. Shisui wondered what you were hiding there. “Pein wasn’t always like this. He used to be… kind of nice.” _

_ Shisui averted his eyes. He hadn’t known that. “Then what’s changed since then?”  _

_ “I don’t know.” You placed your fingers underneath his chin and lifted his head up. “Don’t move like that. It puts shadows on your face and makes it hard to see what’s bleeding from where.” He looked directly in your eyes. You felt your heart skip. “Damn,” you breathed.  _

_ That… that was not good. Your heart shouldn’t be fluttering like that. Even if he was always polite and kind. Even if he went above and beyond his duties as your bodyguard. That was not the plan. Catching feelings was  _ **_not_ ** _ in the plan.  _

_ He smiled at you. You swallowed and averted your eyes.  _

_ “What?”  _

_ You cleared your throat and resumed drying off his head. You had to say something. It was obvious that you were gawking. “Y-you’re bleeding a lot.”  _

_ He laughed. “I’ve been bleeding this whole time and you didn’t look at me with that expression before.” You stared at him, stopping your ministrations and watching a stream of crimson beads roll down his face. He tilted his head. Your heart slammed against your rib cage.  _

_ Oh no. This was not supposed to be happening  _

_ “What’s wrong?”  _

_ He was just supposed to be your bodyguard, for fucks sake.  _

_ “Everything is fine, Nara.”  _

_ Shisui’s brows furrowed.  _

_ “Are you sure Miss?” _

_ You returned to caring for his wound.  _

_ “It’s just a lot of blood. I didn’t realize how much it was before now.” _

_ “He broke a wine bottle on my face, Miss. It’s only natural that I’d be bleeding quite a bit.” And he was completely soaked, too. “You’re thinking of something else, aren’t you?”  _

_ “N-no.” You went to dab at his face and he caught your wrist, tugging you down gently to his level.  _

_ “You can be vulnerable with me. I’m the last person that would ever hurt you. You know that right?”  _

_ “I mean it’s kind of your job to protect me, so obviously.”  _

_ Shisui wove the cloth from your hand and placed it to the side. He entwined your fingers - not once did you break from his eyes as he did so. Your heart pounded hard against your chest. There wasn’t even a fraction of hesitation on his face, in his movements. He caressed your face gently with his free hand.  _

_ At this point, blood was pouring from his head. Eager to escape the emotionally charged moment, you swallowed and went to tear yourself from him and rip another part of cloth from your dress. He held fast.  _

_ “Nara-“ _

_ “You know what I meant. I can do more than protect you.”  _

_ You shut your eyes tightly. “Nara, I-” _

_ “It’s been over a year now, Miss. You know that you can trust me. You know that I love you more than words can express. Let me take you away from this life.” He was speaking quietly.  _

_ You shook your head vehemently. “I-” _

_ “I want to give you more.” He lowered his voice even more. “You hate it here. Please let me take you from this.”  _

_ You shook your head again. “I… can’t. No matter where I go, they’ll find me. I’m the goddamned CEO, Nara. I can’t just up and leave.”  _

_ You felt his thumb caress your jawline. You let out a shaky sigh.  _

_ You placed your other hand on the one that was on your face and leaned into it. He let out a soft chuckle and you sighed again - softly.  _

_ “I just want you to be happy. I can make you happy.”  _

_ His words and his touch…  _

_ You felt a few rogue tears fall from your eyes. It was as if every feeling you’d ever denied having for him pushed themselves towards the surface.  _

_ “You won’t leave me, right?”  _

_ “Never.” _

_ His touch suddenly fell from your skin. You opened your eyes and he unwound your fingers. His eyes were trained behind you.  _

_ “What the fuck do you think you’re doing to her, you fuckin’ weirdo?” You felt a strong grip spontaneously wind around your wrist and jerk you backwards unceremoniously. You stumbled into your brother's hard chest. “Why is she crying?!” _

_ “Brother, he was just-” _

_ “Hoooooly shit!” Hidan exclaimed, releasing his grip on you just as quickly as he’d attached it to you. “Pein fucked you up, didn’t he?” He looked down at you. “You were trying to help the poor fucker weren’t you?”  _

_ “Y-yes, that’s why we were-” _

_ “Miss (Last Name) was just providing me care until I can get medical attention later tonight,” Shisui interrupted you, significantly better composed than you. “She got a bit emotional at how bad it looks.” _

_ “That looks simple enough. Kakuzu can take care of that shit.” Hidan looked down at his watch. “Thought you were harassing her or some shit and I was about to fucking cut your-” _

_ “Brother!” You warned, an edge to your voice. “That’s enough!”  _

_ Hidan gave you a feral grin. “Right, right.” He held out his hand to Shisui. “Let’s go get your face fixed, dumbass.” Shisui gave him a small smile and took his hand.  _

_ “Thank you, sir.”  _

_ “The fuck did you just say? Just call me Hidan. You’ve known us long enough.”  _

_ “Alright,” Shisui said with a laugh as Hidan pulled him up. The darker haired male swayed silently. Hidan stabilized him. “Thanks, Hidan.”  _

**_~~~~~~_ **

You felt your eyes sting - the precursor to oncoming tears. You clung on to Shisui tighter. 

“Shisui…” 

“Are you okay?” He asked, noticing you’d started to shake. 

“I…” You took a deep breath in an attempt to stifle the threat of your sobs. “I miss Hidan, Shisui. I miss him so much.” 

Shisui was uncharacteristically silent for several long moments before he sealed your lips together in a kiss without responding. You kissed one another passionately, the salt of your tears leaking into the kiss. He paid it no mind. He only kissed you harder. 

“I’m sorry,” he spoke against the scar on your cheek. He pressed his lips to it. “I’m so sorry.” 

“I love you.” You reached for his suit jacket and held on tightly to it, grounding yourself. “I love you, Shisui.” 

“I love you too.” He kissed your forehead. 

“This was… w-worth it,” you stuttered, testing the words that had become your internal mantra over the past few years out loud. 

“It was,” he affirmed. 

“I’m m-much happier here,” you continued. 

“You are.” 

“H-Hidan is better off… in jail anyway. He can get… the help he needs for his anger issues and… and…” 

“He was an alcoholic,” he reminded you. “He hurt you a lot when he drank.” 

“Yeah,” you agreed, your voice timid, soft. “He did.” 

“It’s okay to miss him. He was your brother, after all.” 

“He’s going to hate me…” You clutched your head and leaned forward, suddenly feeling nauseous. “Oh, God. He’s going to hate me when he gets out.” 

“You know…” Shisui shifted to your front, crouching down and running his hands over your forearms. 

It wasn’t like this was the first time you two had this conversation.

“Even after all that happened between Itachi and Sasuke, they got through it. It even made their bond deeper.” 

“So you’re saying that getting my brother put in jail for 25 years is going to strengthen our bond?” 

Shisui couldn’t help but chuckle. “Of course not. But if he comes out of this as a reformed person, then he might not hold it against you as much as you think he will.” 

“Do you want to know what I really think?” You asked him, a small smirk forming on your face. 

“What?” He said with a small laugh. 

“I think you’re full of shit,” you responded, slightly shoving his shoulder. “You know very well that if anyone is capable of holding a grudge, it’s Hidan.” 

He sighed and kissed the top of your hand. “Yeah, I know. I’m just trying to be a supportive husband.” 

Your smirk gave way to a bittersweet smile. “I’m glad I married you, Shisui. It’s just that everything that I lost still… follows me,” you finished with a gulp. 

“I understand, babe. Probably more than you’d expect me to,” he said, “and it’s okay to feel haunted by your past. It's important that you don’t lose yourself in it though.” He grabbed both of your hands tightly. “Let’s immerse ourselves in the  _ now.  _ We’re about to have a niece or nephew, technically. We have a beautiful home, stable careers, and a wonderful family.” He smiled up at you. 

“Yeah,” you agreed, your smiling becoming more genuine, “everything worked out. I just wish that I could… talk to him, you know?” 

“I know.”

“Shisui!” 

Shisui’s father was calling for him. He rocked his feet to a stand and held out his hand for you. You grabbed it and used it to pull yourself up, entwining them afterward. 

“Sorry, dad. We needed a breather,” he spoke with a grin. 

Kagami, who was likely the spitting image of a gracefully aged Shisui, nodded with a stern look on his visage. “Itachi has finished his speech. You’re up, son.” 

Shisui nodded and the two of you began walking together back to the entrance. You took a few deep breaths and when Kagami fell into step with you, you smiled at him. He nodded back and once you got back into the banquet hall, Shisui let go of your hand and directed you to place it gently on his father's bicep. 

You removed his coat from your shoulders. 

“Take care of my girl, dad.” 

“She doesn’t need my protection,” Kagami responded bluntly, “but I have no problem with accompanying my daughter-in-law for the night.” 

You laughed and shook your head, but allowed Kagami to lead you to his table. He kept you engaged during the brief wait before Shisui went on stage and then afterwards as well when Shisui was socializing. 

Izumi had stayed home. If she hadn’t, she surely would’ve been right by your side, complaining about how stuffy the atmosphere was. Instead, you were talking about the current state of politics with your father-in-law, Sasuke, and a gentleman you’d never seen before. 

It wasn’t as if you weren’t enjoying yourself, but talk of politics in this venue quickly tired you out. You excused yourself for the night before Shisui could even find you. 

Kagami walked you out of the venue. You passed Itachi on the way out; he looked like he’d wanted to say something to you, but he wasn’t able to due to the extravagantly dressed group of men in front of him. You gave him a wave and made a texting motion, indicating that you’d shoot him a message. He nodded and then returned his attention to the conversation. 

The wind was even more chilling and unforgiving than it had been before. You would’ve been freezing if it hadn’t been for Kagami removing his own suit jacket and placing it around you just as his son had. 

Before he was able to close the door of the limousine, you called his name to grasp his attention.    
  
“Yeah?” He asked. “What is it?”    
  
You’d decided to ask him about something that had been nagging you for awhile tonight. “Where is Madara? He usually doesn’t miss these kinds of events.” You didn’t ask about Obito. You felt like you already knew the answer if you asked him that.

“Madara is with the terrorist.”

It was such a simple, truthful statement that it made the hair on your arms raise in alarm. Kagami was typically such a jovial person. He never spoke so brusquely. It was obvious to you that something was going on behind the scenes that they weren’t telling you about. Otherwise, Madara wouldn’t have stayed behind.   
  
This  _ All-Seeing Eye _ , this… Deidara… he was dangerous. 

“He’s that big of a threat?” You asked. 

They hadn’t made this much of a fuss over him before.

“It appears so,” he responded, “however, I think your well-being is more important than Madara’s whereabouts. Rest, (Name). You’re still recovering.”  
  
That much was true. You were still on pain medicine as well, which was why you’d avoided the alcohol tonight. “Yeah,” you sighed, “it just feels so… wrong to be here under these circumstances, Kagami.”   
  
“I understand.”   
  
“I’ve killed people. I don’t deserve this life,” you admitted with a shiver.

“So have I,” he returned, “And so has Itachi, Fugaku, Madara, Izuna, Mikoto, Sasuke, Obito, and Shisui.” The serious expression on your face forced you to look away. You couldn’t take such an intense gaze right now. “Shisui  _ has  _ killed people, (Name). I know you believe him to have an absolute moral compass, but if you look a little deeper, his is just as unsteady as your own.” 

You closed your eyes and shook your head. “I… can’t see it that way. He took me from a life of-”

“He may have saved you from your criminal lifestyle, but he did so at the expense of others lives and freedom. Pein will be lucky if he gets to see sunlight before he dies. All of it was pinned on him. Do not forget that was Shisui’s doing.” He slightly lifted up his pants and squatted down in front of you, meeting your gaze. “I watched him shoot and kill two innocent bystanders without hesitation before he ever met you when they threatened to expose Sasuke’s over-aggression with a suspect. Sasuke has killed more people than he can remember. Itachi as well. We all have. It’s a part of maintaining the status-quo, (Name). We may fight crime, but our methods…” Kagami sighed and shook his head. “I’ve gone off on a tangent. Anyway, the point is, (Name), that you are no worse than any of us. You have done the best you could to change the person that you once were, and now you fight for a better world for those that cannot fight for themselves - for the most part.” 

“We protect the people, but we protect ourselves first and foremost,” Kagami continued when the silence drew on for too long. “And who is to say that you don’t deserve this life, (Name)? If you don’t, then why do we?”

“I get what you’re saying,” you acknowledged, “but I’ve done such terrible things. I’ve taken advantage of people and… I was… I was just terrible.” 

“I know. I helped Shisui cover it all up,” he said with a small chuckle. “You were quite the yakzua boss.” 

“I don’t know if I’d call it that,” you muttered underneath your breath. You laughed softly, shook your head, and then placed your hand on Kagami’s shoulder. “Thank you. I needed this talk.” 

“It wasn’t a problem. If you ever need a reminder of how terrible we all are, I’m here to give it to you.”

“You’re the best father I’ve ever had,” you joked. 

Even Kagami could hear the sincerity past your jesting. 

He gave you an empathetic smile, looked down at his watch, and then motioned for you to scoot over. “I’ve just realized that I should get going myself. I’ll join you for the ride back to the hotel.”  
  
“Thanks.”   
  
You rested your head against the rest and closed your eyes after buckling up. The driver pulled off, and before you knew it, your eyes fluttered shut and you drifted off into sleep. 


End file.
